Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar reveals Ted Hasting’s one-liners are inspired by his late father

From ‘I didn’t float up the Lagan on a bubble’ to ‘Mother of God’, Superintendent Ted Hastings’ iconic one-liners have gone down in TV history. 

And Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has revealed his character’s zingy Belfast colloquialisms were inspired by his late father in an interview with the Radio Times. 

The actor, 60, revealed he helped creator of the hit BBC drama, Jed Mercurio, spice up the script, with some ‘little Northern Irish-isms’, which fans have come to know and love.

Inspiration: Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has revealed his character’s zingy Belfast colloquialisms were inspired by his late father

Adrian, who was born and brought up in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in Northern Ireland, said: ‘Those were phrases, I have to say, that my father used.’ 

In real life Dunbar says he doesn’t ‘necessarily’ use Hasting’s famed expressions, which range from ‘now we’re sucking on diesel’ to ‘bent coppers’ and ‘fella’. 

Adrian’s father, a carpenter, died of a brain hemorrhage shortly after he moved to London to pursue his career in acting.  

Impressive: Line of Duty, which stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian, premiered in 2012 and became BBC Two's best-performing drama series in ten years with 4.1m viewers

Impressive: Line of Duty, which stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian, premiered in 2012 and became BBC Two’s best-performing drama series in ten years with 4.1m viewers 

The Line of Duty star previously spoke about how his understanding of his father has developed with time. 

He told the Irish Independent in 2004: ‘ The older I get, the more I like my father and understand him, I was the first-born and he was very proud of me but he never was able to tell me that. 

‘There always was friction between us. But now I realise that was born, in part, out of the stress he was under… I never managed to have even one conversation with my father. I didn’t have a relationship with him at all.’ 

Adrian also told the Radio Times how he believes Brexit has destabilised Northern Ireland and that the education system in the province needs to be integrated.

'Now we're sucking on diesel': The actor, 60, revealed he helped creator of the hit BBC drama, Jed Mercurio, spice up the script, with some 'little Northern Irish-isms'

‘Now we’re sucking on diesel’: The actor, 60, revealed he helped creator of the hit BBC drama, Jed Mercurio, spice up the script, with some ‘little Northern Irish-isms’ 

He said: ‘I don’t think the people in the rest of the UK really understand this. 

You might be in a kindergarten with your best friend who lives next door, then at the age of five you’re made aware that person is different, and they head off in one direction and you head off in another. 

‘And that is basically where the dysfunction within Northern Ireland starts. In the 1960s in America, they had bussing – and in Northern Ireland, they still have bussing.’ 

Full story: Read the interview  in Radio Times - out now

Full story: Read the interview  in Radio Times – out now 

He added: ‘You can’t make someone fear another person if they shared a desk for seven years.’

Line of Duty, which stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian, premiered in 2012 and became BBC Two’s best-performing drama series in ten years with 4.1m viewers. 

Earlier this week, Adrian revealed he is looking for a different line of work and would love to do a sitcom after numerous heavy-duty storylines in the drama.

In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, the actor admitted he longs for a lighter role but loves the high-octane drama of Line of Duty – which is airing its fifth season,  

He said: ‘I’d love to do a sitcom because it must be nice to go to work every day having to make people laugh.

‘It’s completely different doing all this heavy duty stuff with AC-12, DDC and UFOs!’  

Having said that, the actor is thrilled to be a key part of the hugely popular BBC bent coppers drama.

He said: ‘It’s great at this stage of your career to get something like Line of Duty. Who’d have thought? I’ve never done a returning series before.’

Iconic: Adrian, who was born and brought up in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in Northern Ireland, said: 'Those were phrases, I have to say, that my father used'

Iconic: Adrian, who was born and brought up in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in Northern Ireland, said: ‘Those were phrases, I have to say, that my father used’

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